15

Sep

Summer Scams: How to Avoid Fake Tickets

It is summer and a lot of festivals and events will be happening in Chicago. It is that season again where there will be a lot of scams going on mostly online. In a few weeks’ time, tickets for Lollapalooza will begin to be sold. However, if you are a fan of this festival, you should take caution when going for these tickets. Better Business Bureau has warned people to watch out for scams during this period.

There are many scams that are targeting flood victims. Better Business Bureau of Northern Illinois and Chicago said that there has been a spike in IRS collection complaints on the BBB Scam Tracker. It has been making announcements of the wave of attacks. Victims have reported receiving threatening calls from individuals posing as IRS representatives claiming they owe money and if they don’t pay up, they will be arrested.

In addition, they tell these victims that an arrest warrant has been issued since they are guilty of tax fraud. Victims have reported that they have received multiple calls at times even 10 a day from different phone numbers. Other victims said that they received threatening voice mails when they didn’t receive the calls and the fraudsters demanded that they answer the calls.

While issuing a statement, Steve Bernas, the President and CEO of Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois said; "Scams often repeat themselves and come in waves. This recent spike in IRS call complaints just lets us know that the bad guys are on the move again and are hitting hard. Being aware of scammer's tactics is key to avoid falling victim to IRS scams."

He added: "The IRS will never call and threaten you, and always make multiple attempts to contact you via letters in the mail before resorting to other methods of communication."

Better Business Bureau offered several tips one should use while dealing with these fraudsters. Fraudsters unlike CRA or IRS will pressure you to act immediately. If you were to be called by CRA or IRS, they take their time to request for information while revealing their identity. In addition, they will either appeal what you owe or will give a chance to ask questions. In many cases, they will contact you first by mail before they reach you through mail or phone.

In addition, when fraudsters contact you, they will request that you either pay through a prepaid debit card or a wire transfer. Non-traditional payment methods are also common with them. They prefer these methods since they are non-reversible and largely untraceable. However, note that when IRA or CRA will never make demand of such types of payments.

In case you think you have been contacted by a scammer or you fell into their traps, go ahead and report that scam to the authorities. You can use the BBB Scam Tracker to report the scammers.

In case you think you have been contacted by a scammer or you fell into their traps, go ahead and report that scam to the authorities. You can use the BBB Scam Tracker to report the scammers. Better Business has been in existence for more than 100 years and it has assisted people find brands, charities and businesses that they can trust. Millions of people use BBB each year to help people find the best brands and businesses.

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